Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington's willingness to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Iran while expressing skepticism about Tehran's willingness to negotiate in good faith.
At an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Manila on Wednesday, Rubio said, "The United States remains open and willing to engage in positive and constructive negotiations and discussions, provided that the commitments made are honored," Reuters reported.
He further highlighted that the current issue is that Iran is "not serious about talks." "If they're serious, we're serious.
If they're not, then we will do what's necessary to protect our interests and also the interests of our allies," Rubio stated in the Philippine capital.
Rubio also addressed Iran's demands to control the transit of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that it's a threat to the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation.
